Dems vow to strip Snyder legal fees from office budget
Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau 12:23 p.m. EDT March 14, 2016
635935536233709432-Tim-Greimel.jpgBuy Photo
House Minority Leader Tim Greimel(Photo: Detroit Free Press)Buy Photo
LANSING — House Minority Leader Tim Greimel said Monday that Democrats will try
to strip at least $800,000 from the office budget of Gov. Rick Snyder unless
the governor withdraws a request that's before the State Administrative Board
for the state to pick up $1.2 million in legal fees related to criminal and
civil investigations into and civil lawsuits arising from the Flint drinking
water crisis.
The Free Press reported Thursday that Snyder signed a contract with the Grand
Rapids law firm Warner Norcross & Judd for advice and representation related
to "any criminal investigations and prosecutions and related claims" resulting
from the Flint drinking water crisis. The governor's office also has entered
into an outside contract with the law firm of civil attorney Eugene Driker.
On Tuesday, Snyder is asking the State Administrative Board to increase the
value of those contracts, which are each now set at $249,000, to $800,000 and
$400,000 respectively.
Snyder's outside legal bills for Flint water hit $1.2M
Greimel, D-Auburn Hills, said in a telephone news conference that Snyder should
raise money through a legal defense fund to cover the outside fees and not
make taxpayers foot the bill. He called on Snyder to withdraw the contract
approval requests and said the $800,00 in fees related to criminal
investigations
is "the most egregious part of this."
If the requests are not withdrawn, House Democrats will attempt to strip at
least $800,000 — and possibly as much as $1.2 million — from Snyder's
$5.6-million
executive office budget.
"We urge the governor to do the right thing and withdraw this outrageous
request," Greimel said.
The FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office and Attorney General Bill Schuette are among
the agencies investigating the lead contamination of Flint's drinking water
while the city was under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager.
Though numerous civil lawsuits have been filed naming Snyder and other
defendants,
no criminal charges have been brought against anyone.
Snyder spokesman Ari Adler said "all investigations are looking at actions
taken by Gov. Snyder in his official capacity as governor of the state and,
therefore,
it is appropriate that the state bears those costs. Using state money actually
provides for the high level of transparency the governor has established
because the contracts are being released publicly."
Adler said "state rules allow for the state to bear the defense costs of
employees to ensure that public servants can do their jobs with limited risk.
That
is why, for example, DEQ employees are also being provided with outside counsel
paid for by the state, when necessary."
Source:
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx. Follow him on Twitter
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